U2, "Sweetest Thing" and videos...some musings


Elizabeth Platt ([email protected])
Fri, 4 Dec 1998 16:54:05 -0800 (PST)


Another oldie but goodie: a few weeks back, a couple of folks on Wire
weighed in with some criticisms of the video for "Sweetest Thing" and U2's
approach to videos in general. To refresh your memories:

On Sat, 17 Oct 1998, Heidi Dutton <[email protected]> wrote:

> Subject: Re: Sweetest Thing Video-- Another opinion
>
> I'm going to jump into the fray on this topic and take Lisa's side: It's
> not a "great" video. Before you flame me to cinders, think about this- I
> love the video, WE love the video; we would be perfectly content to see U2
> on TV in any capacity, 24 hrs a day. We want to look at them and hear
> them, we are thrilled that the video is being shown. I am too. BUT - will a
> non U2-fanatic think it's a great video? I'm thinking no. There's no great
> cinematography, no technique, no cool tricks involved. There's nothing that
> will get it nominated for a music video award.. There's no art. (unless the
> lack of art IS the art, but that's another debate) I don't think this video
> will draw any new people to the music and band that are U2 - and they have
> the chance to do that with every video.
> [snip]

On Sat, 17 Oct 1998, Who needs bathrooms? <[email protected]> wrote:

> Heidi's right -- this isn't by any means a spectacular video. AIWIY or
> EBTTRT were far better videos than this one... [much snipping done here]

Then, on Sat, 17 Oct 1998, Heidi Dutton <[email protected]> wrote (in a
second post):

> [snip]
> No, I didn't say they care about that. My point is that while people are
> off flaming Lisa for speaking out against the video, they should really
> look at that video they way the rest of the world will see it - people who
> are ambivalent about U2. Through their eyes, its not a great video, in
> fact, it's really lacking.
>
> As I wrote on another mailing list, I really think U2 should start
> seeing video-making as an opportunity to draw positive attention to
> themselves and their music, and not see it as something to "get through"...
> Videos can be little works of art, and U2 could be really good at doing
> them - better than anyone else, IF they wanted to be. Kevin Godley is very
> talented, and Dreamchaser was involved, and they weren't exactly working
> with a small budget! :) So, what the heck happened...?

Whew, enough quotes for the day! Actually, I agree _and_ disagree with
all of you (and it's wasn't just Heidi and Prarit who chipped in on this
thread). U2 haven't really been a "video band", like a lot of other
artists on MTV et al, and I don't think the boys really enjoy making
videos all that much--in fact, Adam has been quoted as saying he hates it!
(Bono, however, may relish the opportunity to chew on the scenery...) On
the other hand, MTV et al have launched the careers of many artists whose
_sole_ strength was the video format--they just never could hack it in the
real, three-dimensional world. And let's not even mention Milli
Vanilli...

U2's biggest strength is that they're a _live_ band, and it's no surprise
that some of their most successful videos have been those that essentially
showcase the band as a live act. Think the videos for "Streets",
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", the entire "Red Rocks" concert. MTV
once snipped "Pride" from "Rattle & Hum" and ran it as a video, and it was
more effective than any of the pre-fabricated vids that preceded or
followed it.

U2 should play to their strengths--music, live performances, and their own
personalities--with any future videos, and that would mean dispensing with
all the ante-upping, razzle-dazzle on MTV, and simply be themselves. Live
in concert or live in a studio setting; doesn't matter, though I would
like to see them really push the video envelope and not try to lip-sync to
the regular recordings. When I say "live", I mean _live_. :) All too
often, music videos paper over the lack of charisma and solid music with
lots of quick edits, helicopter shots, and silly attempts at "narrative".
For a band like U2, it can all end up getting in the way of what they
do, and what they are. It's all become a huge cliche, and if U2 are
really serious about entering a new period in their career, I'd like to
see some radical re-thinking done vis-a-vis their approach to videos.
Right about now, stripping down (artistically, not literally) and
simplifying would be the most subversive thing to do in a music video...

Just feeling a bit minimalist today, I guess!

Slan,

Elizabeth Platt
[email protected]



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